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Norman Friborg Obituary
Resident of Arnold
Jan. 6, 1938 - July 22, 2012
Norman Carleton Friborg passed away Sunday July 22, 2012 in Modesto of cardiac disease. He was 74. Norm was born January 6, 1938, in Oakland, CA and raised in Walnut Creek. Norm graduated from San Jose State University with a masters in Physical Education. He was a guidance counselor and teacher for East Side Union High School District for 38 years. His 30 year career as the basketball coach at James Lick Piedmont Hills High School, was recently recognized by the induction into the Piedmont Hills Athletics Hall of Fame. He also provided driving lessons through Friborg School of Driving. He retired to Arnold, CA in 1998. Norm was a member of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, SIRs, Sierra Nevada Logging Museum Docent, the Moose Lodge, Lube Room Ski Team and SWCC Men's Golf Club where he got a hole in one. He was also President of Blue Lake Springs HOA. His many hobbies included reading, golf, fishing, water and snow skiing and everything sports related. He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years Anne; his daughters Sandi Friborg; Susie and son-in-law Dwayne Graybill; granddaughters Adrienne and Natalie; sister Judy and brother-in-law Bruce Wilson; brother Charley and sister-in-law Kim Hauner; Aunt Alice Friborg, and cousins Sharon Bob Smith, nieces and nephews cousins. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 28, 2012 at 10AM, Chapel of the Oaks. In lieu of flowers please make memorial contributions to the American Heart Association.
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Memories and Condolences
for Norman Friborg
Lu Davis
July 20, 2020
RIH Norm and again thank u for being a part of my Son's Lucius journey
Genevieve Pimentel-Bowen
August 4, 2012
I had the privilege to know Mr. Friborg as a Piedmont Hills High School student from the class of 1969. My condolences to his family for their loss of a wonderful man.
August 4, 2012
My deepest and heartfelt condolences to the Friborg family. Coach Friborg was a very caring man who always worked at bringing out the best in his students. I will always remember his great smile. He will truly be missed.
Rest in Peace, Coach.
Liz (Pimentel) Cuellar-Asuncion
PHHS Class 1977
Lori Ashbaugh Davis
August 2, 2012
My condolences go out to the Friborg family. Alumni from PHHS Class of 1982, Mr. Friborg was my driving instructor and think of him often when I remember his advise on how to be safe on the road. Such a kind man whom truly cared for his family and students.
God Bless
Lori Ashbaugh Davis
Warren Allan
August 1, 2012
Anne...
My condolences go out to you and your family. I received my latest edition of RatLine yesterday. I read Norm's letter and was looking forward to reconnecting with him. Even though we didn't stay in contact after SJSU, as my Big Brother, he always had a positive impact on me. I am very proud to having had Norm as my Big Brother.
Regards,
Warren
Kurt Gordon
August 1, 2012
My heartfelt condolences to the Firborg family. I have always held his coaching on and off the court among some of my best experiences in both high school and college. His coaching and teaching approach should be the standard that all should strive to reach.
August 1, 2012
I am very sorry to learn of Norm's passing. Norm has been a very positive influence in my life, as he has in the lives of so many others. His good character, work ethic and even disposition made him a pleasure to be with from the days when we shot baskets on Wayne Court 60 years ago through the recent years when we renewed our friendship after he and Ann moved to the mountains in retirement. My condolences to Ann and their girls, of whom he was so proud, and to Judy and Charlie and their families.
Bill Polley, PHHS '57
Twain Harte, Calif.
Anita Harbor
July 31, 2012
My condolences for your loss. I have many fond memories of Mr. Friborg as a PHHS basketball coach in the early 1970s and as a colleague of my father (Lou Harbor). He will live on in the positive impact he had on thousands of students. Blessings to your family.
John Hofstettter
July 30, 2012
Hello family,
I'm a docent and executive director at the Logging Museum. I only got to work with Norm a few times, and was looking forward to getting to know him better. Among other reasons, we had found out that both of us coached kids for over 30 years and would have had much to talk about if we had had the time.
I'm very sorry for your loss and our's too.
John Hofstetter
Jeff G.
July 30, 2012
Anne, I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. Norm's warm, jovial personality is one of the fondest memories of my 1980s childhood. He was a constant stream of laughter and I always looked forward to when you guys would come over the house. Norm always lit up the room and had everyone bursting with laughter. Thank you both for the memories and I wish you the best during this very difficult time.
Jeffrey Bassett
July 29, 2012
My sincere condolences to the Friborg Famly...Coach Friborg has played a major role in my life for not only helping me get through my junior & senior years at Piedmont Hills but also in helping me get into those oh so fun filled college years. His lifelong lessons have been instituted into many a young person that he dealt with through the many skills he had. We as players and individuals will miss you coach and thank you for all your lessons...
Anna and Ed Gagliardo
July 28, 2012
Anne,
Words cannot express the sadness we feel for you and your family. Ed and I have warm, happy, fun, and wonderful memories that we have shared together. Norm was an amazing man and a very dear and special friend. Our loving memories will be close to our hearts forever. Many thoughts, prayers, and love to you and your family.
With deepest sympathy,
Ed and Anna
carol brilla
July 28, 2012
Norm, you are leaving a great void in our hearts and it will never be the same when our Stanford group gets together. You are one of the kindest and most loving friends George and I have ever had. Anne: we are here for you and we
will support you in any way we can. Our thoughts and our prayers are with
you and all your family members.
Carol and George Brilla
Rev.Lucius and Addie Davis, Jr.
July 27, 2012
God has smiled on the Davis family with an Angel from one of God's best Coach's Staff.
To the entire Friborg Family ,weeping endures for a night but joy comes when you know that God needed one of his best Coaches to come home and you'll see him again coaching on the side lines with that Big Smile. Our prayers are always with you.
Gordy Rodenberg
July 27, 2012
My thoughts and prayers go out to Anne, Sandy, Susie, and his grand children. I just heard the news an hour ago and felt a deep sadness and need to express my condolences. I'll always remember our times on the Delta where he was so patient teaching me how to water ski and how I idolized this "old silver haired guy" who could ski circles around me and most 25 year olds. I remember many BBQs where we'd have a beer while grilling a Tri-Tip to perfection on his Weber Gold Series that he was so proud of. And I'll always appreciate him teaching me about the finer things in life and ribbing me about needing more "polishing" and I'd be OK. Although passing way too soon, Norm lived life to it's fullest, way more than most people. Thanks for everything you did for me Norm and I hope to see you in Heaven some day.
Leah Gagliardo Hawkins
July 27, 2012
Anne, Susie, and Sandy - I was so sad to hear of Norm's passing. My prayers are with you at this hard time. Norm was a very funny man, that is how I remember him. Please take care...
Margo Biron
July 27, 2012
I personally only knew Mr Friborg from around the campus. He always had a smile and a kind word to say. Everyone loved him and he will be greatly missed. PHHS '79
Margo Biron
Lucius Davis
July 27, 2012
On behalf of the entire Davis Family, we send our heartfelt and deepest condolences to the Friborg family. Mrs. Friborg, Sandi, and Susie, your husband and father has touched so many lives and has had so much of a positive influence in so many ways, I am not sure that I can even describe the enormity of it all! He was a counselor, coach, and friend to so, so many. While I am so sad about this tremedous loss to all of us, I am humbled and happy that I was able to say that he was and is a significant part of my life. I am thankful that after many years of not talking to each other as much as we would have liked, by the grace of God, we were reconnected and were able to spend some quality time together in person and on the phone. To be able to look him in the eye and tell him how much he was appreciated and to be able to laugh and reminisce about old times and stories and past games, was priceless! To be able to see the glisten in his eyes when he talked about all of his coaching experiences and to see the pride in his eyes when talking about all of the kids he coached and what they turned into was a wonderful site to see. I am so glad and thankful that I was able to experience that with him!
And to Coach Friborg: I have played on plenty of teams and have had many, many different coaches from the middle school level, to the high school level, from AAU type teams, and even professionally, but whenever I think of the word "Coach," I have always and will always think of you...
Susan Rossberg De Simone
July 27, 2012
Living far away, I seldom saw Norm, my first cousin, but each encounter reaffirmed for me what a prince of a man he was, kind, decent, and caring. Anne, Sandi and Susie, he was taken from you too soon. Vince joins me in sending our condolences and prayers.
American Heart Association
July 27, 2012
May your memories of the wonderful times you shared with your loved one comfort you and your family, today and always.
Lynn Hermoso
July 27, 2012
Oh what a homecoming party it will be when Coach reaches the heavens. We can only thank the good Lord for keeping his journey on earth filled with abundant love, and blessings.
The one lesson I ever truly heeded from his many freely, given advices to me was this:
"I know high school is hard, but remember...your purpose here is to learn a lesson ". Yup! We walk this earth to be a lesson for others. What a great lesson he taught me.
God Bless. PHHS '77
Diane Silva (Dugger)
July 26, 2012
Many happy memories of Coach Friborg. He was a wonderful role model, took time back then (77) to guide us crazy kids, it takes someone very awesome to motivate. Rest in peace Norm and many Blessings to your family and to all those that have been lucky to know you.
Nancy Detwiler
July 26, 2012
Only the fondest memories of Mr. Friborg. My deepest condolences to the family.
PHHS Class of 1980 student
Nancy (Santo) Furukawa
July 26, 2012
My deepest sympathy to Sandi, one of my 1979 classmates, and her family. The world has lost a wonderful, caring man.
Glenda (Griffin) Gustavson
July 26, 2012
I am sure that Norm will be missed by his family and all his friends. We went all through school together from grammar school thru high school, but I most remember him when he was 12, I think, as our "paper boy" delivering the newspaper on his bicycle. He was a really great guy. I was very sad to hear of his passing.
Joan Gallagher
July 26, 2012
My thoughts and prayers are with Anne and the family. Norm was a true gentleman, who will be truly missed.
Rosemary Cala
July 26, 2012
My condolences to Coach Friborg's family. I have fond memories of Mr. Friborg from my years at Piedmont Hills High School. He was a wonderful counselor, coach and friend to all of us. My prayers go out to his family at such a difficult time in your lives. Please know that he will be remembered by all of us who had the priviledge of knowing him and will keep his memory close to our hearts always.
Sara Cline Davis
July 26, 2012
Dear Norm and Anne, what wonderful people you are and what a life you have lived together! You have touched and influenced for good so many people's lives. I especially appreciate having known you both since I was 5 years old in Kindergarten at McCollam Elementary and throughout my high school education at Piedmont Hills High School. I will always remember your kindness in attending my wedding reception…your presence was a surprise, a blessing and is a fond memory. The entire Cline family loves and appreciates you for the goodness of your lives, the generosity of your service and the smiles you always wear. May Norm be at peace in his transition to a new adventure and may Anne and your extended family have access to the divine comfort that only comes from God. Warmly, Sara Cline Davis
Luanne
July 26, 2012
My condolences to Mr. Friborg's family. He was a great support to me back at PHHS in 1977 when I was trying to figure out my crazy teenage life. He had good sound advice, a friendly smile always, and it was obvious how much he cared about his students. I was so glad to read that he continued to lead such a full and happy life until the end. May he rest in peace.
Barbara Munster
July 26, 2012
My heart goes out to Norm's family during this loss. Norm was a special person who was kind enough to be the speaker for our 50th PHHS class reunion. Norm and I were both honored to share in the senior class trophy which has brought a smile to my face over the years. Although I have not seen Norm recently, he always had a special place in my heart as being one of the beautiful people that graced this earth. Barbara (Bunny Kavelman) Munster
Elizabeth Takahashi
July 26, 2012
My condolences to Coach Friborg's family. He touched so many lives and will live on in many memories.
July 26, 2012
What can I say my FRIEND? Words can not capture the wonderful feelings I have for you. You truly are a Great husband, father, grandfather, teacher, mentor, coach, and friend. May God bless you and your family. Thank you for being my friend for over 40 years - Aloha Bart Spina
Gino Abad
July 26, 2012
My heartfelt condolences to the family of Coach Friborg. Coach had a very positive influence in my life for which I am truly grateful. Besides basketball skills he taught me perseverance, integrity and sportsmanship. Coach Friborg will be sorely missed but never forgotten.
Tom House
July 25, 2012
I will always be thankful for the countless hours of inspired basketball coaching and extra hours of open gym and pickup games. Coach Friborg taught us all lifelong lessons and was a great role model. May he be with John Wooden in the hereafter. Thank you to his wife and family for their sacrifices in allowing him to share his time with all his players.
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Oak Hill Funeral Home & Memorial Park300 Curtner Ave, San Jose, CA 95125
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